The hardest Amex card to get is the Centurion® Card from American Express. Also known as the “Black Card,” this Amex card is hard to get because it is available by invitation only, and potential candidates are rumored to need an annual income of at least $1 million.
When applying for the Amex Blue Card, try to have a good credit score, which is a FICO® Score of 670 or above. This is one of the easiest Membership Rewards cards to open, and even consumers with average credit scores have a decent chance of approval.
Yes, it is hard to get the American Express Platinum card because applicants need a 700+ credit score and a high income to qualify for approval. But if you have good or excellent credit and make a lot of money, you have a good shot.
Yes, it's hard to get an American Express card because they all require good or excellent credit for approval. But American Express isn't the only credit card company to target people in the highest tiers of the credit score scale. Barclays and Wells Fargo do too, for example.
Another major requirement is a steady income. American Express does not disclose a specific income requirement, but it will need to be enough to make payments on the card and to afford the $250 annual fee.
Annual income of $100,000 or more. Aged 18 years or over.
The Platinum Card® from American Express is a high-end card that is packed with benefits and a hefty welcome offer.
Amex Platinum ultimately offers more value, though. For example, its benefits include airport lounge access, while the Amex Gold Card's perks do not. When it comes to ongoing rewards on purchases, Amex Platinum has a higher maximum earning rate and better travel rewards. But Amex Gold provides more everyday value.
The Black Card is an exclusive charge card offered to high-net-worth individuals by invitation only. The Platinum Card is one tier lower. Prospective cardholders may apply online and must meet minimum eligibility requirements.
Although American Express doesn't specify any minimum credit score requirements, you'll need good credit (or better) to qualify, which means a FICO score of at least 670. A premium Amex card — say, the American Express Gold Card — likely requires a “very good” FICO score, somewhere in the range of 740 and above.
For those who can take advantage of its rich credits, the American Express® Gold Card, which carries an annual fee of $250, generally comes out ahead (see rates and fees). But if you can't use those side perks, it's usually a good idea to go with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, which has an annual fee of $95.
According to the score ranges from FICO, that means American Express applicants typically have at least a 670 score: Exceptional. 800 and above.
The credit card billionaires are most likely to use is the Centurion® Card from American Express, also known as the Amex Black Card, which has unique benefits and is reserved for high-net-worth individuals. Some of the rich and famous people rumored to have the card include Jerry Seinfeld and Halle Berry.
The Platinum Card® from American Express is another exclusive credit card that millionaires tend to prefer. Also, this card isn't invitation-only.
It has an initiation fee of $10,000 and an annual fee of $5,000. It's also invite-only; you can't apply without permission from Amex. The card offers some incredible benefits, like complimentary elite status across four hotel chains and with Delta, airport arrival services, and access to a concierge.
If you consider yourself a foodie, the American Express® Gold Card could be the ideal luxury card for you. This card earns a competitive 4X points per dollar spent at restaurants and 4X points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per year in purchases, then 1X).
The Amex Platinum is a premium credit card that offers a welcome bonus, luxury perks, and other value-added services. Cardholders benefit from Uber credits, airfare discounts, bonus points, cashback and much more. Unlike typical credit cards, this card allows you to carry a balance for certain charges, but not all.
The American Express Gold is an incredible option for earning travel rewards on dining and U.S. supermarket purchases, and it's ideal for foodies that can take advantage of the dining-related bonus perks. Although it has a $250 annual fee, cardholders can easily offset it with moderate spending and its annual credits.
Make at Least $250,000 in Purchases on Your Amex Cards
Although Amex doesn't publish a spending threshold to get invited, a solid rule of thumb is that you need to make at least $250,000 in annual purchases across all of your Amex cards.
The Platinum Card® from American Express is made from a combination of materials that includes stainless steel metal and has a heavier weight than the American Express® Gold Card, according to a company spokesperson.
Before the pandemic, the $1,450/year American Express Platinum charge card was rather popular with frequent flyers. Despite the high annual fee, it represented excellent value for many cardholders due to all the extra benefits like travel credits, hotel status and airport lounge access.
Getting the Amex Gold Card isn't the easiest card to qualify for as you need good or excellent credit. That means having a minimum 670 FICO score and existing cards in good standing. Being an existing American Express cardholder can also make it easier to qualify.
What American Express cards have access to By Invitation Only? The By Invitation Only program is only available on the Amex Platinum card, Amex Business Platinum card, and Centurion card. It is not available on any other lower-end cards.
They will request tax returns and bank statements. What they're looking for is to make sure the income you reported on the application is true. The process typically takes 2-3 weeks, and you're assigned a specialist to talk to.